Portable kiln-stack blower



Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,721,336 'PATENT OFFICE, i

EDWARD Gr. FINZER, OF SUGAR GREEK, OHIO.

PORTABLE KILN-STACK BLOWER. r

Application filed December 6, 1927. i SeriaLN'o( 23899 5'.

My invention relates te portable blowers, for use in increasing the drat't through the furnaces and the interier ot' a kiln, more particularly of the down drafttype, during the heating of the kiln towards the desired maximum burning temperature.

As usually censtructed a kiln ott the down draft type tor burning brick or other clay products includes a eylindrical side wall, a crown covering the upper end ot' the wall, a kiln bottom, and a Checker-ed floor spaccd above the bottom. 'A series of fire boxes are located around the side wall, and each cem-- municates with the interier of the kiln, usually through an upwa'dly directed opening. The kiln bottom usually communicates through a laterally extcnding ductwith a vertical stack which may be laterally spaced some distance away from the kiln.

The products of combustion thus pass treni the fire boxes inte the kiln interier and about the clay products or Ware which may be piled therein, down through the checkered floor, and out laterally through the duet to the kiln V stack.

In heating up kilns of the down draft type to the desired maximum burning temperature, it has been the usual practice to build fires in the several fire boxes, and to utilize only Whatever naturaldratt may be pulling through the same and out the cool latcral duet and up the cool stack. i

This natural draft, when the fires are started relatively slight, does not support citicient co''bustion, tends te heat the` crewn first, and to seot the kiln interier and the clay Ware therein. Accordingly, four or mere days may be required te heat the kiln, the cold and damp clay Ware stacked thei-ein, the duet, and the stack Walls to their respective necessary temperatures, and to bring the kiln interier and the clay Ware therein to the desired maximum burning temperature.

Moreevcn while in. a usual clay products plant, one stack may be utilized fer several kilns in large plants having many kilns there may be a great many stachs, very 'few if any of which are in operation ter heating up their respective kilns at the same time.

Accerdingly, the objects of the present im- -prevements include the provisien of portable means adapted fer use suecessively as required in the various kiln stacks in a clay products plant for increasing the draft through the furnaces ot the l il 'the lriln interier the latest cemmunict .e:a and the stack thereter, duringthe period When the kiln is being heated up towards the desired maximum burning temperature; whereby eflicient coinbustion in the turnaces is attained, the kln floor and clay ware thereon, and the kiln bottom are heated up at substz'ntially the same rate as the side Wall and crown, thereby aveding seoting; and whereby the duct and stack walls are rapdly brought to their proper temperatures; thereby decreasing the total required burning time, and consequently in creasing the yearly productive Capacity ot each kiln, reducing the quantity of fuel neeessary, and providing consequent savings in labor, material, and capital investment.

These and ancillary obj ects are attained by a Construction and arrangement hereinatter set torth in detail, and which may be stated in general. terms as including a longitudinally extending fran'e, brackets extending laterally intermediate the ends thereot and adopted tor removable association With a carriage tor transporting the kiln draft blower from one kiln to another, a motor mounted at ene end ot' the frame, a fan preferably of the air plane propeller type mountecl at the other end of theframe, a driving connection between the fan and the moter, the `frarne being adapted tor hanging through a damper open- `ing in a kiln duet se that the propeller may nduce a relatively high ,draft through the furnaces, the kiln, theduct and the stack, and move a relatively large Volume ot air and products ot' combustion for a desired and relatively short period of time to bring the kiln interier and its contents towards the ina-Ximum burning temperture" the driving motor *fer the propeller being; at the upper end of the trame outside of the duct se that the metor is protected from the excessive heat et the gases fiowing through the duct and will not obstruct the flow thereot.

A preferred embodiment of the improven-ents is illustrated in the accompanying drz'wings forming part hereofl in which Fi gure 1 is a side elevatien of the improved portable kiln blower as arranged on its carriage ready ter transporting te a kiln tor use;

Fig. 2, a i'ragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating a down draft kiln and its associated duct and staek, together With the present improved stack blower arranged for use therewith Fm 8 an enlarged View of the blower similar' te a portierin of the bein flhisr eci in, section; and

Fig. 4, a front elevation thereof as in the direction ot the arrows 4-4, Fig. 3.

Similar numerals reter to similar parts throughout the several views.

The improved stack blower indicated generally at 10 includes a frame indieated generally at 11 which may comprise a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending` angle members 12 and 12', one end 12 and 12' respectively of each of which is laterally eii -,set providing laterally angled supports for a blower orifice 'plate 13 having a preferably circular blower oriice 14 therein. The outer end of the blower orilice plate may be 'further reinforced by an angle member 15 laterally extending between the extremities ot the ends 12 and 12' of the angle members 12 and 12'.

A blower fan 16 preferably of the airplane propeller type is mounted tor rotation adjacent the orifice 14 pj'et'erably at the outer end oi? a blower stub shaft 17 provided with suitable anti-friction and thrust bearings 18 and 18' suitably mounted within an oil tight stub sha'ft housing 19.

Angled braces 20 and 20 prefe 'ably extend between the outer end of the housing 19 and the laterally extending angle member 15 for supporting' the housing 19 and' its associated and contained mechanisms.

A bevel gear 21 keyed upon the stub shaft 17 within the housing 19 is meshed with a bevel drive gear seeured at the outer end of a drive shaft 23 extending longitudinally and parallel with the angle members 12 and 12' pi'eterably within a tubular casing 24 from the stub shatt housing 19 at one end of the 'rame 11 to a fieible coupling 25 at the other end of the frame11, which coupling connects the drive shaft 23 with a suitable preferably electrio motor 26 mounted upon the other ends 12'* and 12' of the angle members 12 and 12'.

A cable 27 'con'nects the motor 26 with a suitable starting box 28 mounted at one side thereof, and which is connected with a suitable power line as by means of a cable 29. A handle 30 extends l-aterally between and connects the extr'en'ities of the ends 12 and 12' ot the angle members 12 and 12'.

The drive sh-ai't ca sing 24 is preferably supported by suitable longitudinally 'spaced struts 31 and 32 extending from and Secured to the plate 13 and the angl'e members 12 and 12', respectively.

The end of the drive shaft 23 within the housing 19 is provided with a suitable anti- 'riction and thrust hearing 33, and adjacent the coupling 25 the other 'end of the shaft 23 is provided with a suitable anti-friction 'and thrust hearing 33' cooperating with the bearing 33; the cup of the hearing 33' being secured within a suitable 'enlarged head 34 for the tubular easing 24, suitable stuiiing box and hearing adjusting and looking nuts 35 and 35' being provided on suitable threads 36 on the shaft 23 adjacent the hearing 233'.

The inner end of the stub shaft hearing 18 reacts through the gear 21 against a suitable collar on the shaft 17, and the inner end of the hearing 18' reacts against an adjusting nut 37screwed upon the shatt 17; and a lock nut 37 is provided to cooperate with nut 37 for securing the bearings 18 and 18' in desired positions ot adi ustnent.

The stub shai t 17 extends outwardly through an aperture in a suitable stufng box screw plug 38, which is screwed in a suitably threaded opening at one side ot the housing 19tt'orms a stufiing box 39 for the sha't 17.

The stufing box 39 is preterably paeled 'with asbestos material tor protecting` the mechanism within the housin 'from the excessive heat incident to the use of the blower. The interier of the housing` 19 preterably contains a suitable lubricant 40.

Fig. 2 best illustrates the improved staek blower in use.

A kiln of the down draft type indicated generally at 44 includes a` cylindrical side wall 45, a 'ci-own 46 covering the upper end o' the wall, a kiln bottom 47, and a oheckered kiln floor 48 spaced above the bottom. Spaced fire boxes 49 are located around the side wall, and each communicates with the interier of the hihi through an upwardly directed opening 50 at the upper end ott the fire box bag 'wall 51 and the side wall 45.

The kiln bottom communicates through the laterally extending duet with a vertically extending hihi stacl' 53 laterally spaced 'from the kiln 4-4. Preferably at the foot of the kiln stack the duet is provided with a damper opening 54 and a suitable damper pi ate 55 for covering the same.

An eye bolt 56 may be secured over the damper opening 54in a suitable wall 57 of the stach 53; and the eye bolt may support 'a block and t'ackle 58, the lower hook end 59 of which secures the handle 30 ot the improved blower; whereby a single workman may suspend the improved blower 10 so that the propeiler 16, at the lower end of the iframe in the position illustrated in Fi 2, extends downwardly through the damper opening 54 into the duct 52, 'where the propeller is suitably located 'or providing a high draft for the kiln furnace's 49. The damper plate 55 may be provided with. suitable notch 60 for fitting around 'the shatt casing 24.

Accordingly, the motor 26 is located in the open air at the upper end of the rame 11, and can thus drive, without being` submitted to the danger of overheating and burning up, the propeller 16 at the desired high speed in the duet 52 where the temperature constantly rises.

Just 'assoon 'as the fires are started in the furnaces 49, the mo propelle'r 16 located in the duct 52, whereby tor is started to drive the i a relatively large Volume of air is drawn through the furnaces, and the kiln interior, and over the clay Ware contained therein, through the checkered floor 48, the duct 52 and into the stack 53, raising with relatively great rapidity the temperature of the kiln walls and the clay ware contained in the kiln` interior.

The Propeller 16 is permitted to thus increase the kiln draft for about sixteen to eighteen hours in one kiln with which the improved blower has been used, after which time the temperature of the kiln interior has reached very nearly the maximum burning temperature.

The propeller 16 then removed from the duct 52 by raising the blower frame by means of the block and tackle 58, after which the natural draft provided by the heated walls of 'the duct 52 and the stack 53 is suficient to finish the burning operation.

After the blower has been removed from the duct 52, as aforesaid, it may be supported upon a suitable carriage 62 as by means of suitable U bearings 63 and 63 removably fitting over the carriage aXle 64; the U bearings 63 and 68' being carried at the outer ends of V brackets 65 and65', respectively, mounted upon and outwardly extending from the angle n'embers 12 and 12', respectively, ata suitable 'location intermediate their ends for balancing the blower on the carriage. The blower thus mounted and balanced on the carrage 62 may be moved to another kiln stack for increasing the draft tlr'ereof as aforesad.

Means for maintaining the blower in position in the duct 52 may include a bar 66 secured at its ends upon the brackets 65 and 65' and mounting at one side a nut 67 in which a jack screw 68 is screwed and adapted to be rotated by a sliding handle 69 passing e through a suitable aperture therein.

The jack screw 68 is provided at its outer end with a swivel plate 70 adapted to abut against the vertical man hole wall 71, so that the jack screw 68 may be turned to push the angle members 12 and 12' against the outcr surface of the stack wall 57 thereby naintaining the blower in the desired position for operation.

in one kiln with which the present improved stack blowerhas been used as aforesaid, the total burningtin'e has been reduced 'from 5-8 days to 3-5 days, which is a striking example of the economies efiected by the improved blower.

damper opening therein, and a unitary porti able blower located in the duct, the blower including a frame extending longitudinally through the damper opening, one end of the frame being located within the duct, and the other end of the frame being located outside the duct,` means maintaining the one end of the frame within the duct, and a rotary fan on the rame within the duct, the axis of rotation ot the fan being angular to the longitudinally extendiug frame.

3. A unitary pol-table blowerincluding a longitudinally 'extending rame, a fan operatively mounted' at one end of the frame, the aXis of rotation of the fan being angular to the longtudinal axis of the longitudinally extending frame, motor means mounted at the other end of the frame, a driving connection between the motor and the fan', and' means for removably maintaining the fan end of the frame within a kiln duct.

4. A unitary portable blower including a longitudnally eXtending frame, a fan operatively mounted at one end of the rame, motor means on the frame for rotating the fan, a bracket extending laterally from the rame intermediate the ends thereof, and means on the bracket for removably positioning the frame in a kiln duct.

5. A unitary portable blower including a longitudinally extending frame, a fan operatively mounted at one end of the frame, motor means mounted at the other end of the frame, a driving connection between the motor and the fan, and means mounted on the? 'rame intermediate its ends, and adapted for removable connection with the sides of the damper opening of a kiln duct for removably supporting the fan within the duct.

In testimony that I claim the above,I have 'hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWARD G. FINZER; 

